Orion was sure that he was dead. He felt as though every burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and the only way that could happen would be if he were dead. He felt no pain either, and he distinctly remembered being in a lot of pain before he blacked out. He opened his eyes and sat up. He was in a meadow, alone. Or, that's what he thought at first glance, but when he turned to look next to him, a golden dragon was slowly waking up as well. He stared in surprise at the familiar, yet strange creature next to him. He knew his dragon as well as he knew himself, if not better, but they had never met face to face. Now he knew he was definitely dead. He and his dragon would only be separated in death, when their souls were freed from the confinement of the single body they shared.

"Hello," he said quietly.

The dragon turned to look at him and whined softly. Orion rose to his feet and walked over to his counterpart. He was large, larger than Orion previously thought. His head was longer than Orion's body was tall. Orion placed his hand on the dragon's snout in assurance.

"We're all right, big guy," he told him. "We're still together."

The beast closed his eyes and pushed his nose further into Orion's hand as they took comfort in one another. As images and feelings passed into his head, he was pleased to find that he still shared a connection with his dragon. He was distracted as an image of a sky-blue dragon came to his dragon's mind and stayed there. Skylar, their mate. They were no longer with her.

The dragon whined again, and Orion closed his eyes with a sigh. He knew this was a possibility, but he had hoped for the best. Now he and his dragon would be forced to wait for their mate on this other plane. That hardly seemed fair; they'd only just found her. This was all because Draco couldn't just leave them alone.

Orion sat down next to his dragon and leaned back against his front leg. It was easier to stomach the situation when he was in contact with the beast. He resigned himself to waiting for Skylar until it was her time to join them. The dragon agreed. Neither one had any interest in exploring their position further before they were reunited with their True Mate.

"Orion."

The voice was familiar, feminine, and demanding. He raised his head and looked around, searching for the source. He couldn't place where he knew the voice from. It was one he hadn't heard in a long time.

He stood up to look around further, and his heart nearly dropped at who he encountered. She looked just as he remembered. Beautiful, with sunset orange eyes and golden hair, and the soft smile that almost always graced her face.

"Mom?" he whispered, a lump forming in his throat.

"Hello, love," she said, walking up to him. She wore what she had been in when she died. Simple cloth trousers and a blue shirt. Orion stood frozen as he stared at her, unable to comprehend exactly what was happening. His mother stood before him, the woman he had missed more than anything, and he didn't know what to say.

"I'm so sorry," he finally forced out past the lump in his throat. Valerie tilted her head to the side and looked up at him, a crease forming between her eyebrows.

"Orion, darling, whatever are you sorry for?" she wondered.

"I should've gotten to you sooner," he whispered, shaking his head. He couldn't look at her anymore, not without shame and guilt building in his chest.

Valerie shook her head slowly, reaching up to touch his cheek. He nearly broke down at her touch. He was suddenly a little boy again, who only wanted his mother. Only his mother could make everything okay. Before he could stop himself, he leaned down and wrapped her in a huge hug, holding her close and resting his head on her shoulder. He was far taller than she was, she was shorter than Skylar, who wasn't that tall herself, but she simply cradled his head and kissed his hair.

"It isn't your fault, Orion. You can't possibly think that what happened to me had anything to do with you."

"If I'd gotten there sooner, I could've-,"

"You would've been in danger as well, and I would never have allowed that. Besides, you were only seventeen, hardly more than a boy! Younger than Olly is now," Valerie insisted. "Speaking of that, you've grown so much. You look just like your father. Even more than you did seven years ago."

"I am a Nogard," he replied.

"There was never any doubt about that," she chuckled. "The question was always if you had any of me in you at all!"

They were quiet for a moment as Valerie just held him close, stroking his hair. "Skylar is a lovely girl. I'm so glad she found you."

That caused Orion to lift his head and look down at her. "You know about Skylar?"

"Of course, love. I never left you, not really. None of you," his mother assured him. "You're happier than you've ever been with her. Happier than you ever would have been with Cassie. That was a match that I did not approve of, by the way, but your father insisted. You know how he can be."

Now it was Orion's turn to chuckle. "Yes, I do. He's come around though."

"Good. It might take him a while to come to his senses, but he always does eventually," Valerie smiled fondly.

Orion opened his mouth to respond when his entire body jerked, and he felt a familiar yet new pull in his stomach. His dragon snorted in surprise as he felt the same pull. They quickly identified it for what it was. Skylar was calling him. Somehow, someway, their mate was calling them back. He wanted to follow it, wanted to go to it, but he couldn't pinpoint where he was supposed to go.

Valerie frowned and looked around the pleasant meadow. She had felt the power as well. "That's not possible," she said to herself. "You've been gone too long."

"What happening?" Orion asked her.

"Dark magic," Valerie snapped. "Someone very powerful is trying to bring you back, but you've been gone long enough that your soul found its way to this plane. Somehow they found you here and they're trying to pull you back."

"I can feel Skylar," he told his mother. "I'm being pulled to her."

Understanding dawned on Valerie's face. "Of course. You've marked each other. A piece of your soul resides inside of her. Her blood could lead you back. But whoever is performing the magic can't possible being you all the way back to that plane."

Another jerk shook his body, the pull even stronger, even though he had no idea how to follow it. All he wanted to do was follow it. Skylar was waiting for him somewhere, and he needed to get back to her.

"Mom, I have to go back to her."

Valerie's eyes saddened. "Orion, it's dangerous. Besides, there's no way out of here unless this witch, I'm assuming that's who is performing the magic, can make her magic even stronger. The only way to do that is with dark magic, which is what this is anyway."

Orion shook his head. "I need to find Skylar. I'm nothing without her. We hardly had any time, and I don't think I'm strong enough to wait for her."

Valerie nodded and reached up to touch his cheek. "I know. It's not fair of me to want to keep you here when everyone else you love is on the other side."

Orion hugged her again. "I miss you so much."

"Oh, darling," Valerie hugged him back just as tightly, with the kind of hug only a mother can give. The kind of hug where you know that person loves you unconditionally, making you feel as if you are the only thing that matters in the world. "I miss you, too. All of you."

The pull became stronger and began to take on a sense of direction. Orion was jerked away from Valerie as the magic became more insistent. If it was any stronger, he would be unable to fight it. It was forcing him away from this plane.

"I'm going to leave," he told her. "I won't be able to stop it."

Valerie nodded and grabbed his hands. "Orion, I love you so much. I love you all so much. And I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"A seer's magic comes from this plane. Time does not exist in the same way it does in the plane of the living. There's been word of a female Nogard joining the line, one stronger than any in the past. This girl will be in danger, more danger than any of her ancestors. Everyone knows how powerful she will be."

"A female? A female born into the line you mean?"

"That's the only thing I can think of. You know the legends about females born into the Nogard family. They die young, and they don't come around often."

"I don't understand," Orion admitted, the pull getting stronger. If it weren't for his mother's grip on his hands, he would have been gone.

"The word is that she will be your daughter, Orion," Valerie cried. "Every magical creature will be drawn to her power, but especially those that know how to manipulate it. You must protect her from the same fate as the others of her kind."

"My daughter," he whispered with wide eyes

"Yes, yours," Valerie said. "And of course, she will be a Nogard so her life will be far from boring. I'm telling you this so that you can protect her and be aware of any deals made with anyone. Witches are crafty and manipulative, and they will do anything they can to get their hands on the girl."

"I need to get back to Skylar if my daughter is even going to have a chance at existing," Orion said lightly, glancing down at his mother's hands, although he didn't want to leave her anymore than she wanted to let him go.

Valerie rolled her eyes with a smile. "Skylar's given you a sense of humor, I see. I won't keep you from her any longer."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, my boy," Valerie's orange eyes warmed with affection for her eldest son. "I don't want to see you here again until it is your time, do you understand?"

"Of course," he replied. "I'll take care of everyone." "Tell them I love them."

He nodded with one last look at the woman who gave him life. A single tear dripped down her cheek as she let go of his hands and he was pulled back into oblivion.

<><><><><><><><>

Skylar stared down at her mate, tears streaming down her face. She shook violently as they all stared at his body, waiting for something to happen. She glanced over at Draco's body. She felt no remorse for using him to try to bring Orion back. He'd tried to kill them all. She simply considered it a life for a life.

Isabel's hand was still on Orion's chest, her pale skin now soaked red with her dead husband's blood. Not one of Draco's remaining soldiers, of which there were few, stepped forward to save them as he begged for his life. When the men made it clear that they held no loyalty toward him, the dragons had let them leave. Now they all stood staring at their Alpha, waiting for something to happen.

"Why isn't he waking up?" Skylar asked. "Why isn't it working?" "Give it a moment," Isabel said sharply. "It's not easy finding your way back to your body, I'm sure. Besides, he and his dragon both must fit back in here together. They were separated for a while."

Skylar smoothed his hair back, begging him to return to her. Isabel assured them that he wouldn't be different, he hadn't been gone long enough for that. His body still had some life in it, so it was the same as raising the truly dead.

"Come back to me, Orion," she whispered. "I need you, love. I can't go on without you."

She leaned down to press a kiss to his temple, the warm skin there, and jumped in surprise. He was warm. Only moments ago, he had been ice cold.

"Orion?" she asked, louder.

With a shudder and a gasp, Orion's eyes flew open. They were full of confusion and fear, but when they landed on her, all of that went away.

"Skylar," he rasped, trying to sit up.

Tears flowed freely down her face as she pushed him gently back to a prone position. "Don't exert yourself. You're all right now."

As the dragons realized he was back, everyone burst into cheers of elation. Orion winced at all the noise, but there would be no quieting his clan. Skylar smiled through her tears, running her hands through his black hair. He was alive. He was back.

"Draco?" Orion asked softly.

Skylar's jaw hardened. "Dead. It had to be done."

"We won then?"

She nodded. "We won. We're all safe."

A grin broke out on her mate's exhausted, bloody face. "Good. I never doubted it."

She chuckled softly and leaned over him, planting a kiss on his lips. "I missed you. I'm so sorry."

"I wasn't your fault, Skylar, you must know that," he whispered up to her. She stared down at him as she bit her lip, ready to argue his words, when she felt Leo at her shoulder.

"Orion, you idiot," the Alpha snarled. "Don't you ever do something like that again!"

Orion managed a weak laugh, but even though Isabel and her sister had performed a healing spell on his chest to make his body inhabitable again, Skylar knew it was still painful. Leo continued berating him, all out of love, as more people stepped forward. She was loath to leave his side, but Isabel beckoned her aside. Skylar followed the witch away from the gathering crowd. She was aware that she owed Isabel everything for saving Orion and knew the witch would demand a price. She wasn't so naïve as to think that magic like that came free.

She spoke first. "Why did you do it? What's in this for you?"

Isabel laughed. "Can't I do it out of the kindness of my heart?" Skylar's face must have been enough, because Isabel sobered up. "Fair enough. You're not as dumb as you look, Princess. You said you would do anything to save him. I take it that means you'll give anything as well."

"What do you want?"

"You don't have it yet, you won't for a while, but when you do, I'll come for it. You and Sir Jonathan the Knight already owe me for getting you out of my husband's castle, so we'll just add this to that debt. Jonathan already made me a promise, but it would feel a lot better if you promised me something as well."

"Tell me exactly what it is you want, and I'll give it to you when I have it."

"Ah, ah," Isabel shook her finger, her green eyes gleaming. "That would take away the fun. Just know that for now you have your mate back with you, and when the time comes, I'll be back to collect my debt. If you don't pay your debt, I'll send Orion back to where he came from."

Skylar looked over her shoulder to Orion, her world, and knew that she would do anything to keep him here with her forever. There wasn't a price in the world she wasn't willing to pay. She looked back to Isabel. "Anything you want, it's yours."

Isabel smiled, a slow, lazy grin. "That's good to hear, Princess. My sister and I will be on our way now, if you don't mind."

Skylar didn't even have a chance to answer her before the witches disappeared. She just sighed and ran back to her mate's side, where she belonged. As she knelt beside him, the crowd parting for her as they recognized who was pushing past him, and grabbed his hand, the deal she made was completely pushed from her mind.

<><><><><><><><>

As Isabel stepped onto the island that had been her home for a hundred years, the home she had been stolen from fifteen years ago by that bastard Draco, she inhaled fully for the first time. She looked at her sister, Gretchen, and smiled. She hadn't seen her fellow witch in as long as she had been gone, but they had gotten her message about the impending battle and how she had needed her help. Isabel was a powerful witch, but even she wasn't powerful enough to fight against the magic Draco had gotten his hands on when he found the ruby.

The witches' island was hidden from those who didn't possess magic, so humans, and it was from the island that the coven drew their strength. Isabel felt as though she was finally back to full power the further they walked into the island. She was happier than she had been in years, mostly because Draco was dead. She hadn't needed his blood to complete her spell that drew Orion back. Yes, it had helped make the connection stronger, so the spell worked faster, but it hadn't been necessary. Mostly she had just wanted to spill his blood. Watching the life bleed out of him had brought her more joy than she'd felt in years.

She followed Gretchen to the High Priestess's tent, a tent that had once been hers. She cursed the Seers for failing to foresee her capture by Draco. Although, if she hadn't been captured, she would not have just made a deal that guaranteed them access to the Nogard female.

They walked into the High Priestess's tent without a knock, she would have known of their presence the moment they stepped foot on the island. Their sister was waiting for them, standing behind a table, swirling a capsule with some liquid in it.

"Isabel," she greeted her with a genuine smile, "you've finally returned."

Isabel dipped her head. "Yes, I have, Hazel."

"It's been too long, but because of you, we will soon have what few sisters before us have had. A female Nogard."

Isabel nodded. "If the Seers' estimations are correct, it won't be long now."

Hazel's smile widened. "It's all coming together. It's too bad we had to lose our Lorelei, Olive, and Eve to the dragons."

"It was the only outcome the Seers could find," Gretchen said sadly. "No matter who it was that went, they had to die. Fortunately, they died for our cause."

Hazel nodded, her white blond hair falling forward. She was nearing one hundred years, only a few decades younger than Isabel herself, but she didn't look a day over thirty, just like Isabel.

"And Orion Nogard?"

"Died, just as we foresaw, but I was able to bring him back with little complication," Isabel assured her.

"It's all coming together," the High Priestess smiled. "And you'll be remaining here with us?"

Isabel was taken aback. "Of course, where else would I go?"

"You bore sons back on the mainland," Hazel pointed out. "You know that men aren't allowed on the island. You will not go back to them?"

"They have no magic, just like their father," Isabel sneered, thinking of Draco's spawn. They weren't daughters to carry on her legacy, so she cared little for them. "They will be cared for at the castle, where they will continue to reign over their father's kingdom. Their place is among the humans, not with us."

Hazel nodded. "It is your choice, but I'm glad you're staying. We've missed you sister."

"I'm glad to be back. We have work to do."

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I just wanted to let you know that we are very near the end of Dragon Blood. The next chapter is going to be the last one (I think, we'll see) but either way, I want to thank you for reading my book. It means a lot, and I wouldn't be writing it if it weren't for you all! I'm glad you love Skylar and Orion and company as much as I do.

But don't worry, their story doesn't end here! We'll see more of the clan in the next book, Dragon Fire.